Medical Experts Work To Combat Vaccine Hesitancy

Medical experts are working on strategies to persuade Oklahomans who are on the fence about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

This comes as the state announced everyone will be eligible to get the shots starting on Monday.

Some of Oklahoma's medical professionals say they're already starting to see some people hesitant to get the vaccine. So, they're working out ways to get more people on-board.

Members of the Healthier Oklahoma Coalition say one of their key strategies to address vaccine hesitancy is to talk with those who are uncertain.

"On what their concerns are, what their true hesitancy factors are, what's the barrier, and trying to address that directly or through their medical provider," Dr. Mendy Spohn with OSDH said.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health says they hope that time itself will help ease concerns Oklahomans have.

Medical experts say as the months have gone by, people can see the COVID vaccines are safe and effective -- and will have a big impact getting back to normal.

"I think that will eventually help bring some of those people into that vaccinated category," Spohn said.

Dr. Dale Bratzler with OU Health says they're already seeing hesitancy as Oklahoma's vaccine roll-out continues to expand.

"Even in Oklahoma City, we had a 10-thousand dose event that opened up yesterday, and they had to open the walk-ins because they were having trouble filling the slots, and I think we're going to see it happen a lot more," Bratzler said.

The coalition says people clearly want the vaccine, but it'll likely get harder to hold mass vaccination events because they do not think enough people will come for the shots.

"I feel like we'll get to a point where it'll feel like the flu season, where we're kind of hustling the vaccine and seeing where we can be mobile and take the vaccine to people instead of holding mass pods that make sense at the beginning of an effort," Spohn said.

None of the current vaccines have been approved for people under the age of 16.

It's unclear when children younger than 16 would be able to get the vaccination.